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Deadline on bids for Lowell Memorial Auditorium is Jan. 31

By Evan Lips, elips@lowellsun.com

Updated:
01/25/2013 06:36:00 AM EST

LOWELL -- Michael Vaughn, the city's chief procurement officer, confirmed Thursday that the deadline for companies looking to bid on the opportunity to be the next manager of the Lowell Memorial Auditorium has been pushed back to Jan. 31.

Thursday was the original deadline.

Vaughn said he could not discuss the details of the bids, nor could he identify any of the companies that have reached out, but three have expressed interest.

Along with officials from Global Spectrum, the management company overseeing the Tsongas Center, a representative from an Iowa-based outfit named Venu Works toured the auditorium earlier this month.

A third candidate happens to be the auditorium's current general manager, Peter Lally.

Lowell is looking for a new company to manage the city-owned auditorium since Mill City Management announced it will not seek to renew its current contract, which expires June 30.

Vaughn said a flurry of additional questions from interested parties was the reason for extending the deadline by a week. Two addenda were added to the bid form.

Questions included who holds the liquor license for the auditorium and what level of security the city requires for the private manager for events and activities.

One other question submitted by bidders asked the city what the purpose was for the $2 facility fee attached to Merrimack Repertory Theatre tickets priced $17 and over.

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The city's response in the addendum explained that municipal officials have "invested millions in the LMA over the past few years using city bonds and grants."

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